The Eagles Nest Emphasizes Eagle Entrepreneurs in Annual Back-to-School Pop-up Shop
August 17, 2026
The school year has not officially started yet, but The Eagles Nest has already been busy welcoming members of the ESD community back to campus! As families, faculty, and staff returned for back-to-school orientations and other events, The Eagles Nest hosted a special pop-up featuring a variety of small businesses for everyone’s back-to-school needs. A few of the different vendors at the pop-up included two current ESD students and an alumna who brought their own ventures to campus.
Among the vendors were Betty Wheeler ’27 and Estee Piccagli ’27, co-founders of Bead Rules, a custom charm jewelry business built on a friendship that began when the two were 4 years old. They met in an after-school art class and continued creating together throughout their years as ESD lifers. Today, their shared hobby has grown into a business serving retail stores, private parties, nonprofit organizations, and educational events.
At the pop-up, Betty and Estee displayed their jewelry and gave members of the ESD community a closer look at the business they have built together. Giving back has become part of that business, too. Bead Rules donates 20% of its proceeds to Stephen C. Foster Elementary School, a Dallas ISD community where many families face economic barriers. This summer, the pair donated $2,000 to help fulfill items on the school’s playground and music room wish lists.
ESD alumna Taezja Phelan ‘19 also returned to campus to share Popkle, the skincare line she co-owns and recently launched for teens. The idea came from a familiar frustration: having a counter full of skincare products but still not knowing exactly what to use. Popkle takes a simpler approach, pairing one base product with customizable “boba” add-ins so users can adjust their routine depending on what their skin needs that day.
For Betty and Estee, the pop-up was another opportunity to bring something they created together back to the place where that partnership has grown over the years. For Taezja, it was a chance to introduce a new venture to the community she once called home. And for those stopping by The Eagles Nest before the first day of school, the pop-up offered a chance to see what happens when ESD students and alumni turn their creativity and ideas into something of their own.
